Safety device for aeroplanes.



` W.. LEWIS. SAFETY DEVICE FR AEROPLANES.

APPLIUATION H'VLBD 00T. 9, 1911.

Patented A111223, 1912.

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SAFBTYDEVIGE FOR ABROPLANES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 00T. 9, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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APPLIATION FILED 00T- 9, 1911. l ,024,407 Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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WLTERAQLEWIS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.,

. SAFETY Davies' ron annormnrs Lonato?.

Specification of vLetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 19112.

Application led Octobe 9, 1911. Serial Eo. 658,563.

i be readily detached in the case of an accident,.so that the parachute will free itself from the aeroplane and carry the aviator,

Y allowingl him to descend in safety.

A further object of the invention is to so construct lthe parachute that it will open when the runner is drawn down, due to the Weight of the aviator, and after it has been pro3ected.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l, is a side view of an vaeroplane show' my improved safety device attached thereto and collapsed; Fig. 2,' is a view of a portion of an aeroplane showing the parachute released and ready to carry the aviator away lfrom the aeroplane; Fig. 3, is a view of the parachute entirely detached from the aeroplane; Fig. 1, is a sectional plan view on the line 1144, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, is an enlarged sectional view through the parachute and the casing, showing" it in the collapsed position; Fig. 6. is a perspective view, showing the parachute casing and seat-H: and Fig. 7, is a sectional perspective view of the parachute.

My invent-ion may be either made as an independent varticle of manufacture, which can be sold and attached to an aeroplane of any type, or can be built to forni part of the aeroplane. rlhe parachute portion, however, in either case, when released, being entirelyindependent of the aeroplane.

1 is an aeroplane of the ordinary type having an aviators seat 2` and steering Wheel 3.

L is the engine and 5 is the propeller.d

6 and 7 are the planes.

8 is a casing which is secured to the frame 9 by clips 10 of any suitable type,so as to securet-he casing to the frame. The casing is preferably made detachable, so that the parachute can be purchased independently of the aeroplane and placed in position back of the aviators seat 2, or at any other convenient point. Mounted Within this casing 1s a telescopic projector 11 which carries the 'parachute 12, and connected by cords 13 to the parachute, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, is a ring 14, and connected to this ring by cords 15 is a seat 16 which is located on the seat 2 ofthe aeroplane. Theaviator occupies this seat when operating the mechanism of the aeroplane. The ribsv 29 ot the parachute are pivoted to the upper portionof a stem 31, which has a reducedend arranged to enter the end of one of the tubes of the ejector. Arranged to slide on the stem is a runner 35 connected to the ribs by rods 36. Nhen the runner is. drawn down it will force the ribs out and thus open the parachute. This runner 35 is connected by cords 37 to the cross bar of the ring 14, as`

clearly shown in Fig. 7.

ihen the parachute isA projected from its casing the *Weight of the aviator on the seat will immediately cause the parachute to open, due to the runner 35 being connected by the cords 37 to the ring la and the ring to the seat. by the cords 15. The ejectin mechanism is released by manipulating aolt or other fastening, and the aviator leaves the aeroplane Without having to move from his seat in the event of an accident.

I preferably construct the mechanism for releasing the parachute Yin the following manner z--The telescopic section 11 consists, in the present instance, of three tubes 17. 18 and 19, and these tubes telescope one Within the other; the outer tube beingr attached to a base plate 2O secured to the seat board 2 and the intermediate tube 18 is attached to a cap plate 21, While the inner tube 19 is attached to a cap plate 22. At the upper end of the tube 17 are rope sheaves 23, and at the upper end of the intermediate tube 1S are rope sheaves 24./

Ropes 25 are attached to the cap plate 21 of the intermediate tube and pass around the rope sheaves 23 down through the seat board 2 of the aeroplane and are attached to a Weight 26 under said board, and ropes 27 are attached to the inner cap` plate 22, pass around the sheaves 24 and are attached to the ropes 25 at 28. As soon as the weight 26 is released it will' drop, causing the ropes 25 to projectthe intermediate tube 18 out` of the fixed tube 17, and as soon as the slack on the rope 27 is taken up the inner tube 19 will be projected out of the intermediate tube 18, and as the parachute is located upon the inner tube it will be projected out of its casingl and will immediately open, as described above and as indicated` in Fig. 2.a-

In order to release the weight I provide, in the present instance, a bolt 33 which is carriedby the seat board 2 and enters an openas to steady himself on the seat 16 of the parachute as the parachute leaves the 'aerol plane. The ring is preferably held against the casing 8 by spring clips of`any suitable type, so that it can'be readily released, and any suitable device may be used to retain the seat of the parachute in position onl the seat board of the aeroplane. Thus it will be seen that I construct a very simple and effective safety device` which can be made separate from an aeroplane and which can be attached to any t-ype of aeroplane, preferably directly back of the aviators seat, although the particular location ofthe safety device will depend considerably upon the type 'of aeroplane to which the invention is applied.

IVhile my invention is particularly adapted for use in aeroplanes of the type illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood` that it can be used in any aviating mechanism,.either of this particular type or of the balloon type without departing from the essential features of the invention, but the invention is particularly adapted for use -in aeroplanes as indicated above. 1

It will be noticed that in my improved parachute, the runner is drawn ldown to open the parachute, which is opposite to the ordinary method of opening an umbrella, and as this runner is attached to the cords which lead to the seat, the weight of the aviator automatically acts to open the parachute when the said parachuteis projected from the casing by the telescopic ejecting mechanism. Thus avoiding the use of any springs or other complicated mechanism to open the parachute after it is ejected, and I do not rely on the inflation of the parachute by the air alone, but make the opening positive by the above described construction.

I claim 1. The combination of an aeroplane; a parachute safety device consistingr of a tube secured to the aeroplane and having a telescopic projecting device: a. Weightv attached to the said telescopic device; a parachute resting upon the telescopic device but other- 'wise therefrom; and cords leading) from the parachute-Pin position to be used y the aviator when necessary to descend independently ofthe-aeroplane. 'l

2. The combination of an aeroplane havingan aviators seat; a tubular casing 1 0- cated near said seat; a series of tubes wlt-hm the casing, one telescopingrwithinthe other; cords attached to the tubes; a .weightxsnspended from the cords; a parachute having a stein located on the inner telescopic tube;l l

rope sheaves on two of said tubes; ropes passing around the sheaves and'attached-to the inner and the intermediate tubes; a weight towhich the lower ends of the ropes having a stem carried by the 'telescopic pro- .are attached; means'at the aviators seat for I jecting means; cords leading from the parachute outside ofthe casing; a ring to which the cords areattached; and ayseat sect-ion connected to the ring and occupying a position above the seat of the aeroplane.

4. A detachable safety ldevice for aeroplanes, consisting of a casing arranged to be attached t-o the aeroplane; a telescopic projecting device located within the casing; a weight for proj ect-ing the said device; means for retaining the weight in inoperative poslv tion; a parachute mounted within the tube and having a stem located above the telescopic device; and a ring and seat sectiony connected to the parachute so that when the weight is released it will project the parachute which will detach itself from the aeroplane. l,

5. A parachute having a stem; ribs.piv otally mounted at the upper end of the stem; a runner mounted on the stem; brace rods connecting the runner with theribs;

and means adapted to carry the aviator sel' cured to the runner, so that when the parachute is 'ejected the runner will be drawn away from the pivot of the ribs, thus opening the parachutey by the Weight of the aviator.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. y

. WALTER LEIVI SA. Witnesses:

WM. E. SHUPE, WM. A. BARR. 

